National Collection ‘A3’ No. 60103 Flying Scotsman will remain in the custodianship of Riley & Son (E) Ltd, it has been revealed.

Once again in the care of Riley & Son (E) Ltd, 'A3' No. 60103 Flying Scotsman rests in the North yard at the National Railway Museum, York, after hauling its inaugural main line railtour on February 25 2016. THOMAS BRIGHT/SR

The National Railway Museum announced on December 14 that, following a comprehensive tender process, the contract for operating and maintaining the Gresley ‘Pacific’ had been awarded to the locomotive’s current custodians.

Full details of the contract, including how long ‘Scotsman’ will remain in the care of Ian Riley, have yet to be worked out. An NRM spokesperson said: “We are currently negotiating the final contract, and more information will be released once the process has concluded.

“All parties that submitted a response to the tender have been informed of the result.

“Further details of Flying Scotsman’s operating schedule for 2018 will be announced in the New Year.”

The Science Museum Group, the NRM’s parent organisation, published an invitation to tender on August 22 2017 (see SR471), with the closing date for applications on September 13 that year. It had been hoped that the successful organisation would be revealed in October.

Riley & Son (E) Ltd has had custodianship of No. 60103 since the firm completed the 4-6-2’s overhaul in early 2016, and its current contract expires at the end of 2017.